


It's a Hard Life, Save Me

by Zorro_sci



Series: I had to say "I love you" in a song [4]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Jealousy, M/M, Misunderstanding, Queen Songs, Science Boyfriends, Song fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-15
Updated: 2014-07-15
Packaged: 2018-02-08 22:52:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1959117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zorro_sci/pseuds/Zorro_sci
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A misunderstanding told through two Queen songs.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's a Hard Life, Save Me

**Author's Note:**

> All lyrics from 'Save Me' and 'It's a hard life' and are written and owned by Brian May and Freddie Mercury respectively.

_It started out so well. They said we made the perfect pair._

From the moment Bruce and Tony met they had been attracted to one another. They seemed to understand each other without even trying. Conversation was easy, trust second nature, and neither of those were givens, or even likely, with the two of them.

An immediate friendship had blossomed, and quickly it became something more. They had started dating less than a month after meeting, but no one said they were moving too fast. On the contrary, everyone commented on how good they were for each other. The way they brought out the best in each other. Even Fury and Natasha admitted that they were better together than apart.

_I clothed myself in your glory and your love. How I loved you. How I cried._

Bruce had gotten used to "not getting what he wants," but with Tony he seemed to have all he could ever hope for. He found himself sinking into the comfortable feeling of loving and being loved. It was glorious, and far more than he ever thought he would have or deserve. So much so that some nights when he considered how blessed he had been to find Tony, tears of joy would fill his eyes. 

_The years of care and loyalty were nothing but a sham it seems. The years belie we lived a lie, "I love you, 'till I die."_

It was the closest thing to perfect Bruce had ever known. He gave himself over to it, and weeks became months, became two years of happiness with Tony.

He allowed himself to hope. He let himself believe that when Tony said he would love him "forever" or "until his last breath" he meant it. He let his guard down.

But then . . .well then, the inevitable had happened and now Bruce was alone again. Only now he was worse off than he had ever been before.

_Save me! Save me! Save me! I can't face this life alone._

Now that he had tasted sharing his life with someone else it was far too lonely by himself. He didn't know how he could face returning to the life he had lived before. No connections, transient, all alone. It seemed impossible and it stirred up his emotions so much that he felt his muscles starting to shift . . . .

_Save me! Save me! I'm naked and I'm far from home._

Bruce woke up in the middle of a forest somewhere in Northern Canada. He had avoided hurting anyone, but he was naked and feeling utterly hopeless. One of the few places he had ever called home was now so far away, and he was fairly sure he could never go back.

He thought he knew what it felt like to be low. He thought that day he had tried to put a bullet in his mouth had been the bottom. Pure hopelessness. But he was wrong. This was far worse, because he had seen what life could be like with hope. He had found purpose in life, and a place he belonged, and then he'd had it all ripped out from under him just as suddenly. He was a nomad again, but this time with the memories of what could have been if he had just been a little better to haunt him.

_The slate will soon be cleaned. I'll erase the memories._

The best Bruce could hope for was to forget. To forget Tony, and their life together. To forget how much he had meant to him. It would be far easier than being haunted by the memories of gentle embraces and whispered promises.

_To start again with somebody new . . . . Was it all wasted? All that love?_

Bruce somehow doubted he'd be successful in his quest to forget. The image of Tony kissing Steve was too seared into his memory. Too painful.

How could Tony have found someone new? How could all that had been between them have been gone so quickly? Was it ever real? What had become of the last two years of what Bruce had thought were devotion and love?

_I hang my head and I advertise a soul for sale or rent. I have no heart. I'm cold inside. I have no real intent._

He'd go back to doing the good he could do. He'd been a good Samaritian, but one who kept his distance.

If he allowed himself to get close he would feel, and feeling only resulted in getting hurt for him. That much was clear.

He would keep cold; he would just let himself die on the inside. It had to be better than what he was feeling now. The pain of betrayal. Of trust broken by the one person he was sure never would.

The thoughts gnawed at his heart and for the second time in as many hours he felt himself transforming again.

_Save me! Save me! Save me! I can't face this life alone. Save me! Save me! I'm naked and I'm far from home._

Waking up in another destroyed section of forest, Bruce wondered if this is what he would be facing for the rest of his life. Emptiness, loneliness and regrets. If only he could be saved from this fate, but there was only one person who could do that, and he was probably enjoying himself with his new boyfriend.

No he would have to go on. Homeless. Loveless. And for the moment, pantless.

_Each night I cry. I still believe the lie, "I love you 'till I die."_

Finally done with his daily series of hulk-outs, a routine he had been following for the last few days, he built a shelter and a fire. Like the nights before, he cried as he settled next to the warm glow and stared up at the night sky. 

"I love you, Tony," he whispered before drifting off to sleep. 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_I don't want my freedom. There's no reason for living with a broken heart._

Back in New York, Tony was sitting at the bar drowning himself in whiskey and trying to figure out how things had gone so wrong.

The lyrics of the song from the playlist he had asked JARVIS to play struck him. Bruce had said he was giving Tony "the freedom to be with whomever he wanted" by leaving, but that made no sense. He didn't want anyone else. He wanted Bruce, and only Bruce.

He couldn't see how he was supposed to be free now. All he felt was broken. Broken beyond repair or hope. So broken that the words of the song made perfect sense.

_This is a tricky situation. I've only got myself to blame. It's just a simple fact of life . . .it can happen to anyone._

What was worse was he knew it was all his fault. He hadn't stopped Steve from kissing him. He hadn't wanted him to do it, but he hadn't stopped it either. He'd let it go on far too long, and Bruce saw. There really was no explaining that away. No matter how much he wanted to.

_You win, you lose. It's a chance you have to take with love. Oh yeah, I fell in love, but now you say it's over and I'm falling apart._

Nothing in love was certain except that if you didn't open yourself up it would never work. 

He opened his heart to Bruce, and the after a stupid momentary lapse of judgment on Tony's part, Bruce had run out looking angry and hurt. So hurt that the memory of the pain in his eyes made Tony hate himself a little bit more.

He'd followed, but Bruce had told him to stay away. He said it was over, and Tony was free to be with whomever he wanted. 

Tony wanted to beg him to stay. To tell him it was a mistake and he had no interest in anyone else, but the look of sheer betrayal in Bruce's eyes had rendered him mute. He's turned around sadly and made his way to the bar in the penthouse, and that's where he'd stayed for the past three days, trying to drink away the guilt and pain.

_It's a hard life, to be two lovers together, to love and live together in each other's arms_

All he wanted was to have his Bruce back. To hold him close, and whisper how much he loved him, but that seemed impossible now. Life had different plans it seemed.

_It's a long hard fight. To learn to care for each other. To trust in one another right from the start. When you're in love._

He would fight, but he felt like their trust was gone. That fragile thing that had developed so quickly and effortlessly between them when they met.

It was funny. The trust that they had between them had given them a fighting chance despite all of the obstacles that should have been between them. Neither of them were exactly baggage-free. But daddy issues, guilt complexes, arc reactors and rage monsters aside they had a trust that had bridged those gaps. Now it appeared a few careless moments had taken that trust and shattered it, leaving what felt like irreparable damage.

_I try and mend the broken pieces. I try to fight back the tears._

Then again, maybe everything wasn't as broken as he thought . . . Maybe he could "mend the broken pieces."

He pulled out his phone and dialed Bruce's number. Maybe if he could just explain, maybe, just maybe, it could be fixed.

He heard a phone ringing in the bedroom and knew better than to hope. Bruce had left his phone behind. He didn't want to be found, and he didn't want to work things out. It was well and truly over between them.

The thought overwhelmed him so much he lost himself in watching his tears plummet into his tumbler, and forgot all about the song that seemed to describe his heartache all too well. Perhaps it was for the best. It was hardly making him feel better.

He was about to tell JARVIS to turn it off as the chorus was finishing for the second time, when the lyrics grabbed his attention again.

_but I always live for tomorrow. I'll look back on myself and say I did it for love. For love. Ooooh I did it for love._

"I'll do it!" He cried to no one in particular.

"JARVIS prepare the Mark XII," he called.

"Sir, do you think it's wise to pilot the suit when you're intoxicated?" JARVIS warned.

"You can help me keep it steady. I need to find Bruce, and there's no time like the present," he replied.

"How do you intend to find Dr. Banner? He left behind his cell phone and clearly does not wish to be found," the AI questioned.

"I'm assuming that with how upset he seemed he probably transformed at least once. Big Green isn't subtle. Someone was bound to see him. Search for any news reports, police reports or blog posts about a tall, green creature."

"Sir, there are several sightings of a "green Bigfoot" in the Yukon Territory being report on conspiracy websites," JARVIS intoned.

"Alright. Canada here we come," Tony remarked and he waited for the mechanical arms to help him into the suit.

Letting JARVIS do the majority of the navigating, Tony soon found himself flying over the dense pine forests of the Yukon Territory, but the province was quite large and he had no idea where to start. He flew around in an increasingly large spiral until he saw a path of downed trees and destruction that could only have been caused by the Hulk.

He followed the fallen trees to a clearing where he saw a small fire glowing and landed nearby.

Several feet away Bruce was huddled by the fire. He looked like he was asleep, but Tony knew better. Bruce had spent far too many years on the run to not have been awaken by the sound of the suit flying overhead.

"Bruce," he called softly as he flipped up the faceplate.

Bruce sighed, but made no move to look at him.

"What do you want, Tony?" He muttered from his spot on the ground.

"I wanted to apologize. I made a mistake. I never meant to hurt you," he said remorsefully.

"Never meant to hurt me?" Bruce questioned as he sat up and turned towards Tony with flashing eyes. "You kissed another man after all your promises that I was the only one for you, and you never meant to hurt me!?!"

"Steve kissed me. I'm not into him. I should have stopped it earlier, but it meant nothing to me. You ARE the only one for me," Tony countered.

Bruce looked at him uncertainly.

"Look, I know it looked pretty bad, but I swear he just caught me by surprise. One minute we're looking over floor plans for a building where they're keeping a stockpile of my old weapons, and the next he's kissing me. I was too shocked to do anything at first. Believe me it was not welcomed," Tony continued.

"Are you sure? We aren't married Tony. You're not obligated to work things out with me. If you want to be with someone else all you have to do is tell me," Bruce replied.

"Not oblig . . . Bruce how could you say that?" Tony said incredulously. Was Bruce _trying_ to push him away?

"I'm just trying to make sure you're aware of all your options. I can certainly understand why you would want someone more stable than me. I mean Steve, or anyone else for that manner, is a lot less risky and won't be trying to smash you any time soon," Bruce commented rationally, though he was feeling far from rational. He really wanted to know that Tony truly wanted him; he wasn't going to take any chances.

"More stable? Bruce there is no one else who completes me the way you do, and I know you wouldn't smash me. Stop this. I love you. Not Steve. Not any one else who you think would be better for me. This was all just a misunderstanding. Please believe me, and come home," Tony pleaded.

Bruce hesitated, "You really didn't want to kiss him?"

"I swear," Tony answered putting a hand over his arc reactor.

"And you're sure you want me? Crazy assumptions about what I saw, and destructive three-day rampage that followed, and all?" Bruce questioned.

"Yes! Your assumptions weren't so crazy given what you saw, and I take the rampage as a compliment," Tony countered.

"You would," Bruce replied with a smirk.

Tony returned the smirk.

"Alright. Take me home. I'm exhausted, and I need some clothes," Bruce finally replied.

Tony picked him up and they shared a tentative kiss before he rocketed his way back into the sky and they headed back to New York and their second chance at making their relationship work. This time they weren't going to let any super-soldiers stand in their way.


End file.
